This disclosure relates to network communication and, more particularly, to detecting wireless communication jamming in a wireless network.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Numerous electronic devices may be connected in a wireless network throughout a home or building complex. For example, a security alarm system may include multiple sensors attached to doors and windows that may detect when the doors and windows are opened and closed. Many of these sensor devices may communicate wirelessly with a hub device. The hub may also be in wireless communications with other electronic devices, such as thermostats, appliances, air conditioning units, hazard detectors, routers, wall switches, to name a few. The electronic devices may communicate with the hub and/or each other using one or more wireless communication channels.
Yet wireless networks may be susceptible to wireless jamming. Indeed, a jamming device might be able to jam communication between two devices by adding large amounts of noise to the wireless channel(s) over which the electronic devices are attempting to communicate. With all the noise in the wireless channels, the electronic devices may be unable to send or receive data. In some cases, the electronic devices may not even recognize that the noise is present. Rather, the electronic devices may simply fail to receive communication from each other, which could occur for many reasons other than jamming. A first device may stop communicating with second device, for instance, when a battery in the first device goes dead. In other words, an electronic device may not discern whether communication by a sending electronic device is not occurring due to innocent (e.g., power loss) or malicious (e.g., wireless jamming) reasons.
As a result, it may be possible for someone to jam a wireless network within a home or building complex to interrupt normal operation of the network. In some cases, communication between the electronic devices may be disabled without alerting the network owner or operator or the authorities. For example, security systems that rely on a wireless network might be jammed and the communication between the sensors and the hub may be blocked. Thus, a building might be broken into without tripping the security system because the sensor may not be able to notify the hub that it has been breached.